Speakers to include E.O. Wilson, Mindy Lubber, Tom Lovejoy

WASHINGTON, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Aspen Institute and National Geographic announce the 5th annual Aspen Environment Forum, to be held June 22-25, 2012, in Aspen, Colo. This timely event, themed for 2012 as "Living in the New Normal," is based in part on data like the new climate normals recently released from NOAA, which document that the country’s long-term average temperature has warmed by half a degree in the last decade. The Forum will convene experts and key leaders in the fields of science, business, academia, technology, and public policy for a lively discussion and debate about how the planet and its people must adapt to this new environmental paradigm and its impact on everything from food supply to city planning. The focus will be on exploring needed solutions for meeting the challenges posed by the changing conditions of the planet.

Notable speakers confirmed to date include:

• Rit Aggarwala, Special Advisor to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, C40 Cities
• Stewart Brand, Co-Founder and President, Long Now Foundation
• Jason Clay, SVP Market Transformation, World Wildlife Fund and National Geographic Fellow
• Tom Lovejoy, Biodiversity Chair, Heinz Center and National Geographic Fellow
• Mindy Lubber, President, Ceres
• David Orr, Chair of Environmental Studies Program, Oberlin College
• E.O. Wilson, University Research Professor Emeritus, Harvard University
• Lisa Witter, Chief Strategy Officer, Fenton Communications

"The timeliness of the Aspen Environment Forum so closely after the Rio+20 UN conference ensures the conversation on sustainable development continues," said David Monsma, executive director of the Institute’s Energy and Environment program.

"We know the climate and contours of the planet are changing," said Chris Johns, editor in chief of National Geographic magazine. "How we adapt to these new parameters is a fundamental challenge we all face, and our success or failure will determine our future."

Additional speakers and a detailed agenda will be released in the weeks ahead. To register for the forum, visit www.aspenenvironment.org. General forum passes are available for $1,500, and passes for nonprofit or government employees, university faculty and students, and international guests are available for the reduced rate of $750. Group discounts are also available, and a 10 percent discount is available through March 31.

This year’s Aspen Environment Forum sponsors include Duke Energy and Vale. Select sponsorship opportunities are still available; for more information, contact Nicole Alexiev, deputy director of the Institute’s Energy and Environment program, (202) 736-5815, nicole.alexiev@aspeninst.org or Tammy Abraham, National Geographic National Brand Manager: Brand Solutions, at (212) 610-5510, tabraham@ngs.org.

Daily video highlights from the Environment Forum will be posted at www.aspenenvironment.org, and event updates will be featured on Twitter at @aienvironment and #aef2012 and www.facebook.com/AspenInstitute as well as www.facebook.com/NGM.

EDITORS’ NOTE: A limited number of press passes are available. For more information and to apply, please visit http://www.aspenenvironment.org/media. 

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 400 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 10,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways: seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs, and public conferences and events. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland‘s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

SOURCE The Aspen Institute